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Jansen's 3-K ninth highlights LA's ASG

By
Anthony DiComoMLB.com

MIAMI -- For the Dodgers, the spoils of posting the Major Leagues' best first-half record were plain to see Tuesday at Marlins Park. Five Dodgers took the field at the All-Star Game presented by Mastercard. A sixth, Clayton Kershaw, watched from the dugout. For a night, the Dodgers swelled the census data of downtown Miami.

While closer Kenley Jansen turned in a scoreless ninth to keep the game tied, shaking off a two-out balk that put a runner on third, his teammates had comparatively quiet showings in the National League's 2-1 loss to the American League.

MIAMI -- For the Dodgers, the spoils of posting the Major Leagues' best first-half record were plain to see Tuesday at Marlins Park. Five Dodgers took the field at the All-Star Game presented by Mastercard. A sixth, Clayton Kershaw, watched from the dugout. For a night, the Dodgers swelled the census data of downtown Miami.

While closer Kenley Jansen turned in a scoreless ninth to keep the game tied, shaking off a two-out balk that put a runner on third, his teammates had comparatively quiet showings in the National League's 2-1 loss to the American League.

But the Dodgers' sheer population was hard to ignore. Playing in his first career All-Star Game at 21 years old, Cody Bellinger finished 0-for-3. Shortstop Corey Seager was 0-for-2. Justin Turner, 0-for-1 in the losing effort.

"I think everyone in here would have rather have come up on the winning side," Turner said. "But at the same time, it was a good game. A lot of good pitching and a couple good swings. It was fun. It was fun to sit in the dugout and watch the greatest players in baseball go at it."

The first Dodger to appear in the game, Alex Wood, fell victim to a bit of rotten luck. He allowed a two-out double to the Orioles' Jonathan Schoop in the fifth inning, then a pop fly by the Twins' Miguel Sano that found a patch of grass near the right-field foul line. The result was the AL's first run.

"With the guys in these lineups, [outfielders] are playing really deep," Wood said. "I wasn't shocked by any means that the ball fell. It happens."

Wood laughed and added, "Good thing it doesn't count."

That much would have been difficult to tell from the competitive drive of Jansen, who allowed a leadoff single and a stolen base to the A's Yonder Alonso in the ninth, but struck out each of the three other batters he faced to preserve a 1-1 tie. Like Wood and a small army of others, Jansen took a no-decision.

Afterward, they all echoed Turner in saying, "I would sign up for it again in a heartbeat." Wood called the experience "awesome."

The six Dodger All-Stars hope simply that more highlights await them in the second half. After the game, they went their separate ways, though no one strayed far. The Dodgers will work out at Marlins Park on Thursday and resume their season Friday in Miami, looking to build on that MLB-best 61-29 record.

"To expect what we did [in the first half] is tough," Bellinger said. "That doesn't happen much in baseball. But we have a great team, with the best pitcher in the game, the best closer in the game. It should be fun."